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"Henry Dundas, 1st viscount Melville (1742-1811) was born in Edinburgh and educated at Edinburgh University. He began practicing law in 1763, and three years later became solicitor general for Scotland. Melville entered Parliament for Edinburghshire in 1774, and within a year was appointed lord advocate. In 1777, he was made joint keeper of the signet.
Melville proved to be an effective spokesperson for the North ministry, supporting the American War, arguing against any acknowledgment of American independence, and opposing economic reform. In 1781, Melville began his long involvement in India affairs as chairman of the secret committee investigating the Carnatic Wars. In the second Rockingham ministry, Dundas continued as lord advocate and was a member of the Privy Council. Under the Shelburne administration, Dundas was made treasurer of the navy, and held the position from 1782 to 1800. In 1783, he returned to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Edinburghshire, and spoke in defense of Shelburne's peace preliminaries. Melville served as lord of trade from 1784 to 1786, and over the next twenty years held various prominent positions, such as William Pitt's secretary of state for the Home Office (1791-1794), president of the Board of Control for Indian Affairs (1793-1801), secretary at war (1794-1801), and first lord of the admiralty (1804-1805). As a military leader, Melville played a major role in the conduct of the war with France. Politically, he dominated Scottish politics in Parliament, defended government control of the East India Company, and opposed abolishing the British slave trade. He was forced to resign from the Admiralty in 1805 when accused, and later acquitted, of misappropriating funds.
Melville married Elizabeth Rannie (d.1847) in 1765, and through her gained the title of Melville. They divorced in 1778, and in 1793 he married Lady Jane Hope (d.1823). He was created Viscount Melville in 1802…"
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